Day
1 Arrive Nairobi
(LD) Welcome to Kenya!
You will be met and transferred
to your hotel. After lunch,
a short drive takes you to
the suburbs of Karen where
you will visit the Karen Blixen
Museum. As you walk through
the former home of Karen von
Blixen, scenes of her famous
book, "Out of Africa" will
come to life. Then continue
on to the Giraffe Center to
spend time feeding and learning
about the graceful Rothschild
Giraffe. Nairobi Safari Club
Day 2 Nairobi-Masai Mara (BLD)
Begin your safari in Kenya's most famous park, as your drive takes you to the Masai Mara today. Arrive in time for lunch and then enjoy an afternoon game drive. Have your game-viewing checklist handy, as the Masai Mara has one of the richest varieties of birdlife and wildlife in the world. Buffalo and wildebeest herds are huge in the Mara - and predators like lion and hyena are equally abundant. Mara Sopa Lodge
Day 3 Masai Mara (BLD) You might want to start the day with an optional balloon safari, floating over the Mara as the animals begin to stir. Morning and afternoon game drives are always exciting in the Masai Mara, as you never know what you will see! Topi, gazelle and elephant are frequently seen, as are silver-backed jackals, hippo and crocodiles. Mara Sopa Lodge
Day 4 Masai Mara-Lake Nakuru (BLD)
Your journey takes you into the Rift Valley and ecologically diverse Lake Nakuru National Park. After lunch at your lodge, an afternoon game drive might reveal rhino, Rothschild giraffe, waterbuck and impala. Watch the treetops for the playful black and white Colobus monkeys. Sarova Lion Hill
Day 5 Lake Nakuru-Amboseli (BLD) Drive to Nairobi for lunch and then continue towards the Tanzanian border to stunning Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Cynthia Moss focused much of her research on elephants in Amboseli National Park as herds of these gentle giants dot the plains. Amboseli Serena Lodge
Day 6 Amboseli (BLD)
Rise early this morning to catch the first views of Mt. Kilimanjaro as its snow-capped summit peaks out from under the clouds. Amboseli boasts five different wildlife habitats and the wide open flat plains make spotting wildlife a little easier. Look for the amusing warthog along with jackal, baboons, lions and cheetahs. Amboseli Serena Lodge
Day 7 Amboseli-Lake Manyara (BLD)
Crossing into Tanzania today, stop for lunch in Arusha before continuing on to Lake Manyara. As you approach Lake Manyara, you are sure to be struck by the dramatic views. The lake lies in a depressed valley with the brown and red cliffs of the escarpment rising strikingly on one side. Springs rise up from the base of the escarpment, providing a welcome water supply. Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Day 8 Lake Manyara-Serengeti (BLD)
Enjoy an early morning game drive before departing for Tanzania's most famous park, the Serengeti. The name Serengeti is derived from the Maasai word "siringet", which means endless plains. Appropriately named, every year the Serengeti plays host to one of the world's most impressive migration of herbivores. Game-viewing is exciting year-round, as the Serengeti supports large prides of lions as well as a healthy amount of leopards. Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Day 9 Serengeti (BLD)
The short grass plains of the Serengeti combined with an abundant source of food in large herds of zebra, wildebeest, impala and buffalo, make the Serengeti an ideal place to spot cheetah on the hunt. Cheetahs (unlike lions and leopards) will hunt during the day. Unfortunately, its open hunting technique also makes it easy for lion and leopard to steal the cheetah's kill. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives today. Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Day 10 Serengeti-Ngorongoro (BLD) Our drive takes us first to Olduvai Gorge. The Gorge looks like a long, dry trench cut out from the surrounding plains and is a veritable archaeological treasure-trove. Louis and Mary Leakey spent more than 28 years sifting through hundreds of fossils before uncovering the "homo habilis" (Handy Man), dating back more than 1.6 million years. After a picnic lunch, continue to the Ngorongoro Conservation area. At just 100 square miles, Ngorongoro Crater comprises a small portion of the 3200 square mile conservation area. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 11 Ngorongoro (BLD)
A full day of game viewing in the Crater is a highlight. Supporting more than 25,000 mammals, the crater is home to a wide variety of both herbivores and carnivores. Zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and eland are abundant. With such a rich food supply, carnivores like lion, hyenas and leopard are also at home in the crater. Watch for the kori bustard (the world's largest flying bird) to see if you can spot its elaborate territorial display during breeding season. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 12 Ngorongoro-Nairobi (BLD)
Return to Arusha for lunch and then continue to Nairobi, arriving late this afternoon. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the Nyama Choma Ranch. Nairobi Safari Park
Day 13 Nairobi Depart (B)
This morning, visit the Daphne Sheldrick Orphanage for a unique perspective into the painstaking work involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned elephants. You will have a chance to meet the special caretakers who bond with their charges and become surrogate mothers. Nairobi Safari Park
Day
1 Arrive Nairobi
(LD)
